


The morning of February 14th they wake up as usual

by kayejwrotes



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Single Parents, kids Kindaichi and Kunimi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-16 15:36:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17552378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayejwrotes/pseuds/kayejwrotes
Summary: The morning of February 14th they wake up as usual.They have routines to follow and places to be, except everything taste sweeter if there's something to look forward to.





	The morning of February 14th they wake up as usual

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this more than a year ago and I've been writing it on and off for quite a while, but I can finally say it's finished.  
> I really wanted to write Matsuhana has single parents for a while and I'm happy I can finally post my take on the topic.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy this small fanfic of mine.

The morning of February 14th they wake up as usual.

Issei drinks his coffee while Yuutaro slowly opens his eyes, the warmth of his steaming bowl of milk with those animals’ shaped cereal he likes it's a call that never fails to put him in a good mood.

And for this Issei’s really grateful.

He'd never be able to handle his son all alone if there weren't little tricks like this one along the road.

Of course, that’s not to say Yuutaro is a fussy kid, or that he isn’t really well-mannered and calm.

The only thing he’s found difficult dealing with so far are Yuutaro’s emotional bouts here and there.

Dealing with an emotional Yuutaro it's not as easy as he'd hoped it to be, especially when he starts to ask those “big questions” he doesn’t know how to answer in a suitable way for his kid. That is something that just comes up from time to time and every time Issei feels lost under the waiting stare of his son like the first one.

Kids can be horrible at that age, especially because there’s no real malice behind the words they say, only curiosity most of the time.

Nonetheless, whenever the occasion comes, they always ask where’s Yuutaro’s mom, why doesn’t he have one, why is it only he and his Papa at every event.

And Yuutaro’s always really good at handling this kind of things, even for a kid his age. He’s been answering these questions for as long as he’s been among people, but sometimes it’s just too much, and on the way home the question rise up again with a face full of snot and tears,  because how can someone explain to their kid he'll never have a mom or things like that?

Issei never had the right words to end all doubts over this and he knows deep inside himself he’ll probably never have them, not even when Yuutaro will be old enough to make explanations for himself.

For the present moment, he makes do with what he has, simple words suited for a kid that can’t really contain the complexity of the fact he’ll never see his mom. Yeah, yesterday night was one of those nights when the simple explanations Issei’s given him weren’t enough for his son, so he’s really grateful that today everything seems back to normal.

 

Anyway, on February 14th, it seems like a regular day is waiting ahead of them. That’s it, until Yuutaro, barely open eyes looking up at his dad from his breakfast, seems to think about something before asking: “What day is it, Papa?”

“It's Thursday.” Issei answers automatically, checking his grocery list for the restaurant and deciding on a whim today it will be a good day to pay a visit to his favorite meat-vendor stall at the local market.

“What number, Papa?”

“14th. It's two times seven of your fingers, Yuutaro.” Issei adds to help the little guy with the complicated sum that he’s trying to do with his fingers. They're starting to learn numbers in kindergarten and teachers encouraged all the parents to stimulate their kids in learning.

Issei looks at his son while he rises fingers in front of his face and counts, mouthing numbers silently with his lips. He still can get that after four there's five. Not six.

He has the cutest kid.

 

Because he's looking at his son while he counts, Issei can see the moment realization dawns upon him and Yuutaro illuminates with an understanding light in his eyes.

He jumps on his chair, little hands gripping the edge of their kitchen table excitedly.

“PAPA I NEED A FLOWER!”

Issei almost chokes on his coffee, too surprised at the sudden loud request.

“... Why's that?” He asks, trying to remember if they were having some sort of event at the kindergarten today of which he had forgotten about, but nothing seems to come to his mind.

He watches his son starting to blush, pink quickly painting his cheeks under Issei’s curious gaze, and that’s the answer for him. No, this has nothing to do with kindergarten. It’s all Yuutaro.

“I just need it…”

There’s a moment of silence while pink blossoms on Yuutaro’s cheeks and it’s almost endearing how they both know what’s happening to Yuutaro’s face, but the boy just tries his hardest to behave as if he’s not really embarrassed about something he doesn’t want to talk about.

 

“Yuutaro, we talked about this… no secrets, right?”

Yuutaro looks guilty for a moment, but Issei also knows he won’t spill the beans if it’s something he doesn’t really want to share.

Experience told him the best way to approach the situation is guessing.

Yuutaro won’t answer to a direct question, but having him easing into the idea of talking about it usually helps.

“Is it for a project you are doing at school?” he asks, gently, after taking another sip of his coffee, as if he hasn’t noticed anything going on.

Yuutaro just shrugs, his little head moving left and right while tufts of hair sway with it. He should get a haircut soon, despite how he’s been reluctant to the idea.

 

“Oh… I understand.” Issei says knowingly, an exaggerated nod of his head to top his words off as if he really understood the problem just from that one question.

“So, we could ask Yahaba-san from the flower shop if he has a nice sunflower for you. I’m sure he’d be happy to give you one since you want a flower Yuutaro, right?”

His son shakes his head, still munching on his cereals, eyes looking pointedly at the colored mat under his bowl, trying very carefully to not look at his dad at all.

“Why not? Aren’t sunflowers your favorites? You loved them when we went to Yahaba-san’s shop last time!” Issei exclaims as if surprised by this, while he’s leading his son right where he wants him.

Sometimes he hopes Yuutaro will never grow up because the way he’s frantically trying to gulp down the glob of cereals is too cute and also because he’s starting to worry about the day his tactics won’t work on him anymore.

 

“That’s not the right flower Papa! Sunflowers are yellow!” Yuutaro protests, waving the empty spoon in front of him, after gulping down the last spoonful of his breakfast.

Issei stands up, quickly collecting Yuutaro’s empty bowl and spoon to place it into the sink.

“Then, I guess we should take a red rose, since it’s Valentine’s day...” he suggests lightly, his amused smirk hidden by the fact he’s turned, but he has to quickly wipe it away as soon as he hears the high chair scratching on the floor and light stomping to his side, where Yuutaro annoyingly shakes his head, looking at him as if he’s sincerely affronted by his dad not getting the point here, the whole reticence about sharing his secret completely forgotten.

“Akira likes blue!!”

Yuutaro’s protests are loud and clear, and once again Issei can’t help but feel warm inside his chest at the idea of how pure Yuutaro is.

He’ll really have to start thinking of something else when Yuutaro will be able to see right through him.

 

“Ahhh! Now I understand!” Issei smiles, hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand as if he was the dumb one for not getting this first, looking fondly to his expectant son.

“Then we’ll buy a blue flower from Yahaba-san for Akira-kun, is it okay?”

Yuutaro just jumps up smiling wildly before hugging his leg briefly “Thanks, Papa! You’re the best, even if you are really slow sometimes!” his son yells to him happily, skidding on the wooden floor toward the bathroom, and Issei can’t help but start laughing at the scene.

 

Yuutaro is really something else. His life wouldn't be complete without him.

 

*******

 

Takahiro’s morning is usually a mess.

Akira doesn’t like waking up. Not in the slightest.

It runs in the family, probably, considering how Takahiro despises his alarm every morning for waking him up. Not even changing the traditional ring in something he finds more pleasant helped. It only managed to make him hate the song.

Anyway, waking little Akira is an absolute pain.

 

When he goes to his room to wake him up, it usually starts with soft cooing, a very quiet calling of “Akira, dear, it’s morning…. Akira, wake up…” but the little fucker just opens one eye, looks at him like a lazy monkey, then closes said eye and rolls over to proceed to ignore him. Sometimes he even hikes the covers up over his head. Just to make the message get clearer.

If it wasn’t that he has to wake his son up to take him to daycare, he’d be proud of his nerve.

Really, who’d have believed his son would have done something like that to him?

 

(If someone had asked his friends the answer could have been only one: everyone)

 

Anyway, the morning of the 14th starts incredibly suspicious for him when it’s not his alarm to wake him up, but the impatient pulling and shaking of two small hands on his shoulders.

Now he understands why breathing was so difficult.

Akira’s sitting on his back, scrolling him as hard as he can, whispering harshly: “Daddy, wake up. It’s morning. I’ve gotta go to kindergarten.”

 

Takahiro jolts up, Akira hanging tightly onto his shoulders, the tangled pajamas’ shirt around his torso is strangling him a bit with the added weight of his son pulling at it, but it’s not important right now.

Is that really his son? His own blood and flesh son? Waking him up? Asking to be taken to the kindergarten of all things?!

He’s probably still dreaming. No doubt. The added weight of Akira on top of him it’s probably an illusion too when he decides it’s indeed a dream and since his alarm hasn’t rung yet he should catch some more sleep.

Takahiro’s short-lived illusion is fractured by a sharp pang against his side, when Akira starts bouncing up and down on his back, kicking him precisely on both sides with his little feet as if that’s nothing.

Definitely not an illusion but it was a nice try nonetheless.

 

“Daddy!! Wake up! You have to take me to school!” and Akira has the gull to sound even annoyed at Takahiro for going back to sleep.

His son is infuriating, but despite not being one of the best awakenings in his own personal list, Takahiro can’t help but feel amused in some really secret mischief-proud part of his brain, because Akira is surely learning well from him.

 

“Come on Daddy! We’re gonna be late and you have to drive me there!”

“Mph… Do it yourself, monkey…” Takahiro rumbles amusedly in the pillow at Akira’s growing impatience.

“I can’t get to the wheel Daddy!” at this Takahiro opens his eyes, snorting at how his son had just admitted thinking about leaving him here in favor of going out alone. He flips quickly on his back, catching Akira before he remains trapped under him, just now taking in his son appearance.

 

Akira’s already dressed in his uniform, little blue coat messily buttoned up too.

It’s clear he’s tried his best to put on correctly all his clothes, but Takahiro can see even with his eyes still adjusting to the early morning light that his smock is turned inside out - the seams are all visible and the white collar is sticking up instead of down as it should.

Akira’s socks are all rolled down to his ankles - the little monkey doesn’t like the high white cotton socks he has to wear for school, so he usually rolls them down when he thinks no one’s looking - but despite all the little flaws here and there, Takahiro can’t help but feel proud at his son for trying so hard to be ready all by himself.

If being kicked and scrolled and brutally woken up like that is a collateral effect of Akira finally starting to wake up and looking after himself, he’ll take it every morning.

Well, maybe not every morning, but a few weeks of it would be manageable, if the result would be a more independent Akira, after all that suffering. Hell, even only getting him to put on his own clothes instead of just lazing on the pavement in order to not get to the kindergarten on time would be nice.

He messes with his son's otherwise straight hair with one hand, starting to unbutton his coat with the other to straighten it.

 

“Why so impatient, monkey?” he asks with voice still rough with sleep and a smirk playing on his lips “Are you finally starting to appreciate it?”

Akira doesn't even deign him with an answer. The thin little eyebrow raised up while looking at him is enough to have Takahiro cracking up laughing as he gets started on righting the smock.

Akira has the funniest expressions sometimes.

“Okay, okay, I’ll never say something like that ever again. Better?” He manages to get out, tugging at Akira’s sleeves in one direction while the boy tugs in the other with enough force that he tumbles over on the bed covers.

Akira looks at him disgruntled but he doesn't say anything else as his father keeps prodding and poking at him while righting his clothes.

To untrained eyes, it would look like they're roughhousing on the huge bed but Akira can be exceptionally hard-headed when he wants and right now Takahiro has annoyed him too much to collaborate in the arduous task of getting dressed in the right way.

 

Sometimes Takahiro wonders who did he take that particularly determined streak from.

He doesn’t remember his mom ever having to deal with such behavior when he was his son’s age.

But maybe Takahiro doesn’t remember things like that because he was too occupied being the hard-headed one when he was a kid.

Anyway, if there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s being as relentless as possible. Especially because Akira doesn’t like to share things, as a general rule in life.

Be it food, games, or just words sometimes.

His son is a weird monkey who likes to play by his rules, only allowing a few selected people to get close to him while playing at kindergarten, but also really quick to keep himself distanced from the others.

 

The only one that has managed so far to always breach in is Yuutaro, and Takahiro finds himself being grateful for the kid.

And also for his dad. But this is not the moment, he reminds himself.

Akira is watching him curiously and only now Takahiro notices that he has stopped talking, just mechanically buttoning up his son’s clothes.

Ugh. It’s definitely too early to deal with this. He’s quick to grab Akira and hoist him on his shoulder while standing up from the bed and quickly paddling to the kitchen.

“Don’t think you are off the hook, young monkey. I’ll find out why you’re so eager to go to kindergarten today!”

“... You sound like Grandma, Daddy.”

“Don’t compare me to Grandma!”

 

***************

 

Less than an hour later sees Akira and Takahiro make their grand entrance through the decorated doors of the kindergarten.

To be honest, it’s more of a rushed sprint through the doors just before the teachers are going to close them, but they both make sure to look totally unaffected by it as if it’s just a normal occurrence to have them barging in like that, which it is to some extent. This is not the first time Issei has watched this scene.

It’s not like Akira and Takahiro are always that late, but it happens quite often and every time they both have the same weird expression that seems to say “What. This is completely normal.”

Issei watches Takahiro gently grab Akira’s hand, accompanying him to the little cubby in the wall with the goldfinch sticker. He knows it’s Akira’s because it’s right beside Yuutaro’s own. His son has a robin sticker right above it.

They choose their own stickers on the first day of kindergarten and parents and teachers helped put them on their chosen cubby.

They were instructed to put their shoes and coat in there when they came in, along with toys they took from home or things they didn’t need while playing with the other kids.

Teachers had stressed how important this moment was for the kids when they participated in that parents-teachers meeting right before beginning to take their sons to kindergarten.

To help them separate environments and learn how to behave in different places was something fundamental to their growth and Issei had wholly believed this. Plus, he was already imagining Yuutaro‘s eyes when they’d attach his chosen sticker to whatever cubby he liked. The kid would love getting to choose his own space.

 

That’s where he and Takahiro met.

Right at the meeting, sitting next to one another on the uncomfortable folding chairs of the kindergarten, while he was fantasizing over his son’s first day at kindergarten.

At first, he had noticed Takahiro because of the weird color of his hair, but the thing that had caught his interest was the fact that yes, he was attentively listening to the instruction given by the soon-to-be teacher of their kids, but he was also playing with a small piece of paper, quickly folding it neatly into a little monkey with deft movements of his fingers.

Issei hadn’t approached him that day, but for some reason the memory of the guy sitting next to him, folding origami without watching his fingers work on the paper, had stayed with him, replaying on and off for the whole evening.

 

Then, he had seen him the next day, when Akira and Yuutaro had chosen their cubbies and put stickers on them.

After being ushered outside with the other parents, they had both stayed behind for a moment, quietly watching while their sons sat on the colored plastic chairs, meeting for the first time their teachers, trying to get adjusted to listening quietly to someone else besides their parents.

They had looked with fondness at their respective kids, and Issei was sure he had the most dorkish expression on his face, but the rose haired man next to him had probably an even softer one when he had huffed lovingly: “Man, that monkey’s gonna make everyone go mad on his first day.”

Issei had turned his head to look at him at the same time the other had seem to notice him in the vicinity, watching him weirdly for some second, before erupting into a very loud laugh.

But the other was laughing too, so he guessed it wasn’t all that bad.

 

Now, a few months later, they were both still watching their sons from behind the glass panel of the classroom.

They could see them greeting their homeroom teacher, going to their friends and expectantly wait for the moment they could start playing together.

Issei had picked up a blue tulip with Yuutaro and Yahaba-san had wrapped it delicate flower-paper, carefully instructing Yuutaro on how to transport it and keep it whole until he got to kindergarten.

Yuutaro had listened to him attentively, and now Issei could see how he was trying hard to keep his flower hidden from Akira while the class greeted their teacher.

"So... what's up with Yuutaro? Isn't he standing a bit funnily?"

Issei turned to his side and there was Takahiro, in his whole disheveled glory, smiling warmly.

"We are going to watch the birth of a great Romeo today." Issei replied with a grin, motioning with his chin toward the glass panel showing them what was going on inside the class.

Takahiro looked at him puzzled, but turned toward the panel nonetheless.

Inside, the kids were starting to split up into groups, picking games and activities for the morning.

Akira and Yuutaro always waited a moment before launching into whatever games they chose.

Usually, it was Akira leading Yuutaro. He liked to scan the room to find what he considered "the perfect place", not too close to the teacher's desk and not too far from it in case they needed him. Takahiro was well aware of his kid's playing habits because, in a rare sharing moment, his kid had extensively explained to him how to look for the perfect place to play and when to go and claim it.  
Akira was a peculiar kid in every aspect of him and Takahiro had smiled at the time.

Right now, though, he was watching closely, waiting for something unexpected to happen.

Akira was scanning the room when he felt something pull at his sleeve.

He turned to see Yuutaro, still hiding something behind his back and pointedly looking at his feet.

Takahiro couldn't see his son's expression now that he was turned with his back at them, but he had a quite clear view of Yuutaro-kun's small red face.  
He opened and closed his mouth a few times as if he didn't really know how to say it.

Takahiro felt his heart swell with affection at the sight of the embarrassed child. He was really trying hard. He wanted to root for him.

Before he could fumble for words again, Takahiro watched Yuutaro thrust his hand toward Akira's face. In his grasp, a carefully enveloped blue tulip. 

Takahiro gasped, taking a hand to cover his mouth, "Your kid is a charmer, Issei!"  
"You could say" was the quiet answer of the man at his side, but Takahiro could see the proud pull of lips on Issei's mouth.

From how quick he was moving his lips he was probably half-shouting whatever he wanted to say, and for a moment Takahiro was worried Akira - like the little gremlin he was - would reject the offer. Instead, his kid stared at his friend for a moment, before he took the flower with careful hands. 

What Takahiro would have given to hear what the kids were saying...!

He felt satisfied enough though, watching them hug tightly and the leap together toward the lego bin, hand in hand, blue tulip held securely in Akira's right hand.

Without saying a word, the adults both turned their back on the little scene and walked quietly toward the exit of the kidnergarten. 

As soon as they were outside, Issei turned to the lighthearted chuckle of Takahiro's laugh.  
"Your kid sure knows how to do romance."

"Of course he does. I taught him everything." Issei smiled too.

"Yeah, but I don't see you going around gifting me flowers and such." the other replied, quickly glancing at his wrist. If he didn't get going right now he'd be late at work. Again.

"Uhm... You are right, " Issei began calmly, stopping in front of him and presenting him with a small cream coloured envelope. " I prefer giving out cards, since I don't think you'd feel comfortable going to the office with a bouquet of roses."

Takahiro was pretty sure a rose tint was starting to spread over his cheeks but he would be damned before he acted surprise in front of Issei. He probably knew anyway, judging from the smug turn of lips.

"You could be right, or you could not. Now you'll never know" he answered, snatching the envelope away and opening it.

His eyes sparkled at the sight of the card inside.

"Fancy, Issei.  A private dinner with the chef. You really know the way for a man's heart." Takahiro mused, hooking his arms around Issei's waist.

"I try." he answered with a humble shrug of shoulders, pulling him in an embrace.

"Is this okay to you, though?" Issei said, a soft kiss at Takahiro's forehead the only thing hinting that he was really worried about his reaction.

"Of course I am! I'm just wondering where to place the kids for tonight. We can't exactly have them with us, can we?" Takahiro exclaimed, rubbing reassuring circles on the other's back.

"Oh... If that's the only problem, my mom would be more than delighted to have them both for the night. She's been harrassing me for a while because I haven't taken both Yuutaro and his little friend at hers in some time." Issei crooked smile was back in place.

"Well, I guess we have quite the night waiting for us, then." 

Takahiro's eyes were crinckled in that way that was both mischief and affection, that Issei couldn't really stop himself and pecked him quickly on the lips, pulling him closer in his embrace. Takahiro was always so warm and soft in his arms.

"I guess we have a date, then." He murmured with a quiet smile, placing another light kiss on Takahiro's nose. 

Takahiro hummed softly, rubbing just a bit their cheeks together, before pulling away with a warm look in his eyes. He'll never go to work, if he didn't put some distance between them. Issei's lips had a tendency to make him forget about trivial things like work or time.

"We do. " He nodded before adding with resolution a fierce, "I'll be there on time, I swear."  as he opened his car, got in and quickly started the engine. He was definitely late now.

"Can't wait for it, then." Issei murmured, waving as the car got out of the parking lot. He'd be counting down the hours 'till tonight.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this! :)
> 
> As always, comments and kudos get my creativity going. If you enjoyed this little fic, please consider leaving a comment. I'd love to know what you think about it.
> 
> If you feel like chatting with me, you can find me at kayejwrotes both on Tumblr and Twitter, these days.


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